UK Government’s first year: Legislative insights

Secure and shape future laws now

The bidding for the next parliamentary session is well underway. To secure or shape legislation for the second or third session, engage with Departments and No 10 immediately. Departments are submitting bids, with the Prime Minister deciding by early summer. Proposals supporting growth and Government missions will stand out and will need a strong, evidence-based case. It is also just as important to shape what others may be suggesting and guide early thinking. If you are hoping for legislation later in this parliament, start building support now. The next bidding round will come fast. 

Session progress: Uneven and extension to Q1 2025 highly likely

Knowing how long you have before legislation is introduced, or when crucial stages will fall, can give you an advantage, maximising your ability to engage in good time.  The first session, originally pencilled-in for a November 2025 end, is more likely to stretch into Q1 2026 due to slow progress. Of the 34 King’s Speech bills, 13 have become law or are near Royal Assent, 8 are early in their second House, 4 remain in their first House, and 7 are yet to be introduced. Two hybrid bills are unaffected by session timing. Continue to monitor progress to anticipate the session’s end.

Key bills will dictate timing of the next session

The Government will be keen to ensure three politically critical bills—Border Security, Asylum and Immigration; Crime and Policing; and Planning and Infrastructure— pass before the session ends. Still in the Commons, these bills will likely need the rest of 2025 to reach Royal Assent. Their advancement will signal the session’s conclusion, so stakeholders should track them closely

Bills need refinement: Engage early

Bills like the Employment Rights Bill are being introduced with significant gaps, requiring extensive government amendments just to achieve policy objectives (over 500 for this bill) and heavy reliance on secondary legislation. This creates uncertainty for businesses. Changes can be made during a bill’s passage, and often the Government will respond to pressure, but it does become harder as the Bill progresses. Early and sustained engagement with Whitehall and throughout the Bill’s passage is vital to mitigate risk. 

Commons strategy: Focus on influential Labour MPs and media wins

With 403 Labour MPs, the Government faces little Commons resistance; the Whips often excuse 80-100 MPs per vote and Cabinet attendance rates are low, with the Prime Minister only voting five times despite more than 170 opportunities to do so. This risks a culture of Whitehall complacency, and it is something No 10 is sensitive to – that issues will bubble up which should have been caught which are politically costly even if the numbers do not threaten defeat. While it may not be possible to inflict a defeat, or even manifest the threat of a defeat in the Commons, publicity and media scrutiny, and/or the support of respected Labour MPs can encourage movement from the Government. 

Lords dynamics: the weakening of the second House

The Lords has defeated the Government 47 times since the election – fairly typical for any Government - but reforms removing 88 hereditary peers will eliminate 15% of defeats, and the addition of 36 Labour peers (net) will further dampen rebellion. If the current rate of appointment, typically two a week since the start of January, is maintained it is entirely possible to eliminate defeats in 2026. The question is how far No 10 wish to push things as there are no limits on the Prime Minister’s powers of appointment. Media and public scrutiny could have an effect but is currently muted. So too could retaliation in the Lords – the Lords’ ability to delay bills offers some leverage and, if cool-heads prevail, it could push the Government to demonstrate it is behaving reasonably and still make concessions. 

Build coalitions in the Lords

As the Lords becomes Labour-heavy, stakeholders must forge alliances with Conservative, Liberal Democrat, and crossbench peers. Well-crafted amendments uniting these groups can secure defeats or concessions. And even with the Lords’ increasingly packed with Labour loyalists, the Lords’ ability to delay bills offers leverage, so build relationships and engage early to maximize influence.

To thrive in the UK’s evolving legislative landscape, engage Whitehall proactively, develop a two House strategy suited to the changing dynamics, and build strategic coalitions. Early action and smart advocacy will help shape policies and mitigate risks.

Authored by Nikki Da Costa.